Google Ads Audit

Find out exactly what your
campaigns are missing

An independent, expert review of your Google Ads account — identifying wasted spend, structural issues and untapped growth opportunities. Delivered as a clear, actionable report.

Audit Report — Example Account
11
Critical issues
8
Warnings
14
Opportunities
Critical
Broad match keywords without negative lists Matching irrelevant search terms — est. 34% wasted spend
Critical
Conversion tracking not verifiable Bidding strategy has no reliable signal to optimise against
Warning
All campaigns in a single ad group structure Limiting Quality Score and ad relevance potential
Warning
No audience layering on Search campaigns Missing bid adjustments for high-value user segments
Growth
Competitor brand terms not targeted Opportunity to capture high-intent switching traffic
Growth
No remarketing lists in use Previous visitors not being re-engaged at lower CPC
15+ Years auditing accounts
Simple Reporting and advice
Conversion Focused audit
from £250 Fixed fee, no surprises

A thorough review across every
layer of your account

No area is glossed over. The audit examines account structure, campaign settings, bidding, targeting, creative and tracking in detail.

Account Structure

  • Campaign and ad group architecture
  • Keyword grouping and match type strategy
  • Negative keyword coverage and shared lists
  • Search term report analysis
  • Ad relevance and Quality Score review

Bidding & Budget

  • Bidding strategy suitability for goals
  • Target CPA / ROAS settings and feasibility
  • Budget allocation across campaigns
  • Impression share and lost auction analysis
  • Dayparting and device bid adjustments

Targeting & Audiences

  • Geographic targeting accuracy
  • Audience segment application
  • Remarketing list setup and usage
  • Customer match and similar audiences
  • Network and placement settings

Ad Copy & Assets

  • Responsive search ad quality and variety
  • Asset (extension) coverage and performance
  • Ad rotation settings
  • Dynamic keyword insertion usage
  • Creative testing presence and methodology

Conversion Tracking

  • Conversion action setup and accuracy
  • Primary vs secondary conversion classification
  • Tag implementation and firing verification
  • Cross-device and view-through attribution
  • GA4 and Google Ads data alignment

Growth Opportunities

  • Untapped keyword and search term opportunities
  • Competitor gap analysis
  • Campaign type expansion (Shopping, PMax, DSA)
  • Landing page and CRO recommendations
  • Budget reallocation for efficiency gains

How a Google Ads audit works

01

Account Access

Read-only access is granted to your Google Ads account via a manager account link. No changes are made during the audit process.

02

Structured Review

A systematic review is conducted across all audit areas — structure, bidding, targeting, creative, tracking and growth opportunities — typically completed within five working days.

03

Report Delivery

A detailed written report is delivered, categorising findings by severity — critical issues, warnings and opportunities — each with a clear explanation and recommended action.

04

Walkthrough Call

A video call is included to walk through the findings, answer questions and discuss the recommended priorities for implementation.

05

Optional: Ongoing Management

Clients who proceed to ongoing Google Ads management following an audit have the audit fee credited against their first month of management.

Most Google Ads accounts contain significant, avoidable waste

In accounts managed by in-house teams or previous agencies, the same categories of issues appear repeatedly: broad match keywords without proper negative lists, conversion tracking that can't be verified, campaigns structured for convenience rather than performance, and bidding strategies operating without the data they need to function correctly.

An independent audit provides an objective view of the account — free from the assumptions and blind spots that develop over time when the same person manages the same account. The findings provide a clear basis for improvement, whether that improvement is implemented in-house or through ongoing management.

Independent & Objective

No vested interest in what the findings say — the audit reflects the actual state of the account, not a sales pitch.

Actionable Output

Every finding includes a recommended action, prioritised so the highest-impact issues are addressed first.

15+ Years of Context

Issues are evaluated against what best practice actually looks like in practice — not just what Google recommends.

Fixed Fee Pricing

A fixed cost agreed upfront based on account size — no hourly billing, no scope creep, no surprise invoices.

Google Ads audit pricing

Fixed fee pricing based on account size and complexity. Every tier includes a full written report and walkthrough call — the scope of review scales with the account.

Starter

£250

One-off, fixed fee

For small accounts running up to 3 campaigns with a monthly ad spend up to £3,000. Ideal for businesses that have set up Google Ads independently and want an expert second opinion.

Includes

  • Full written audit report
  • Account structure review
  • Conversion tracking check
  • Prioritised recommendations
  • 30-minute walkthrough call
Get Started

Enterprise

Custom

Quoted on request

For large or complex accounts with 10+ campaigns, multiple markets or significant monthly spend above £15,000. Scope and fee agreed following an initial briefing call.

Everything in Growth, plus

  • Multi-campaign & market review
  • Performance Max audit
  • GA4 and attribution review
  • Executive summary for stakeholders
  • 90-minute walkthrough call
Request a Quote

All audits are delivered within 5 working days of account access being granted. The audit fee is credited in full against the first month of ongoing management if you proceed. VAT will be applied where applicable.

Audit questions answered

Common questions about the Google Ads audit service. For anything not covered, get in touch directly.


Contact Us

No. A read-only manager account link is sufficient for the audit to be completed in full. This means no changes can be made to your account during the process and you retain complete control throughout. The access can be revoked at any point after the audit is delivered.

Most audits are completed and delivered within five working days of account access being confirmed. Larger enterprise-level accounts with more campaigns and markets may take slightly longer — this would be confirmed at the point of briefing. The walkthrough call is scheduled once the written report has been delivered and reviewed.

You receive a detailed written report covering all findings, categorised by severity — critical issues, warnings and growth opportunities. Each finding includes a plain-English explanation of the problem and a recommended action. The report is designed to be actionable by your own team or a chosen agency, as well as by Pathfind. This is followed by a video walkthrough call to go through the findings in detail.

Yes, absolutely. The audit report is written to be understandable and actionable whether you manage your account in-house, pass it to an existing agency or proceed to ongoing management with Pathfind. There is no obligation to use any further services — the audit is a standalone deliverable. If you do proceed to ongoing management with Pathfind, the full audit fee is credited against your first month.

In many cases, accounts managed by agencies benefit most from an independent audit. Agency-managed accounts often contain inherited structures, legacy settings and optimisation decisions that have never been revisited. An independent audit provides an objective view that is not influenced by the assumptions or working practices of whoever set the account up. It can be particularly useful if performance has plateaued, costs have increased or you have doubts about whether your budget is being used effectively.

The right tier is determined by the number of active campaigns and your approximate monthly ad spend. If you're unsure, get in touch with a brief description of your account and the appropriate tier can be confirmed before any payment is taken. There is no obligation to commit to a tier before discussing the account.

Request a Google Ads audit

Share a brief description of your account — number of campaigns and approximate monthly spend — and the right audit tier will be confirmed before any payment is taken.

Get in Touch